Catholic faithful in Ivory Coast hold mass in memory of Pope Francis

Catholics gathered at St Paul’s Cathedral in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast on Wednesday for a mass in memory of the late Pope Francis.

He was much admired across Africa for his peacebuilding efforts, visiting 10 countries across the continent during his 12 years as head of the global church.

As cardinals gather in Rome to elect a new pope, some at the mass hope the new church leader will be an African.

"If ever, by God’s grace, an African pope would be elected, it will be an immense joy for Africa. And this pope, Pope Francis, he has done many things for Africa," said a Catholic faithful, Jean Bellemou, who attended the service.

Several African cardinals could be in the running, including Robert Sarah from Guinea, Peter Turkson of Ghana, and Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Miles Pattenden, an historian and lecturer at the University of Oxford who specialises in the Catholic Church, said an African pope would be "an electrifying possibility".

"It would signify that the church has a real global intent and mission, and I think a lot of people would embrace it very strongly," he said.

However, the African cardinals in the running are notably more conservative than Francis, who had what many viewed as a liberal approach.

Pattenden cautioned that, in time, there might be another reaction to one of them taking up residence in the Vatican.

"Although an African pope will do wonders for the Church in certain kinds of ways, it also will most certainly represent a return to a more conservative approach, both to teaching and practice," he said.

He added that it was possible that this "will exacerbate, over time, some of the tensions" within the Catholic Church.

Vatican insiders are however sceptical that any of the African cardinals have a realistic chance of being elected.

The gathering to choose Francis’ successor, known as the conclave, is due to get underway on 7 May.